An Insider’s Guide to Taking a Curv Microcredential

In just a month, Sarah Lochhead has upskilled her knowledge of digital accessibility to better advise clients and her company’s creative team on best practices for websites and documents. Sarah works as an Administrative Assistant and Project Manager at a digital marketing agency in Toronto and is working towards a Microcertificate in Digital Accessibility. She has completed two Curv microcredentials in that subject area, Making PDFs Accessible, and Making Word Documents Accessible.

For those who may not be familiar, microcredentials are short, focused credentials designed to provide individuals with verifiable proof of in-demand skills, know-how, and experience. They also tend to cost less than traditional university courses, making them an ideal option for busy professionals.

Sarah told us about her experience and what it’s like to take a Curv microcredential at The Chang School, including why she chose this option to upskill over others as well as how it’s helping her on the job.

Preparation for Taking a Microcredential

Before choosing a microcredential, one of the initial steps is to research what skills gaps exist in your experience and identify which microcredentials are best suited for upskilling in your career. This might also involve assessing your personal and professional goals.

There are many reasons why you might choose to take a microcredential – upskilling, job promotion, future-proofing against a looming recession, or for another more personal reason. For Sarah, she was genuinely interested in digital accessibility.

“Quite simply I love learning and opportunities to upskill,” says Sarah. “I have a keen interest in digital accessibility and gaining a credential to illustrate that interest felt like a natural fit.”

When preparing to take a Curv microcredential, it’s also important to keep in mind the prerequisites and requirements for enrolment, which are listed on each microcredential course page.

The Learning Experience

Once you’ve decided on the subject area of the microcredential you want to focus on, you need to consider what program structure will best meet your needs. Do you want to be assessed for the skill set that you already have and receive official recognition or do you need to learn more about the subject matter?

With Curv microcredentials, they are very much asynchronous – meaning that in the two weeks you are given to complete the assessment, you’re responsible for independently reviewing the materials before being tested. While you won’t interact with other learners or an instructor, you will have access to a Curv Expert Assessor, which Sarah found helpful.

“The staff were very supportive and the communication touch points were very helpful,” says Sarah. “I appreciated being able to complete the modules in my own time but that the course also had a set assessment date to keep me moving forward.”

The Assessment and Evaluation

There are different types of assessment used in microcredentials to test whether you know the subject area well enough to be officially recognized for it. Each Curv microcredential web page explains how you will be assessed so you can get an idea of what to expect.

Once you complete your assessment, you will be put in touch with a Curv Expert Assessor who will provide you feedback on your work.

If you pass the assessment, you will receive a digital credential that can be shared on LinkedIn to signal to employers that you have a particular skill set.

Impact on Career and Personal Development

While Sarah is still working towards her Microcertificate in Digital Accessibility, she’s already seeing the benefits of taking microcredentials in her day-to-day responsibilities.

“I'd say it's about generally advising and encouraging best practices for digital accessibility when assisting clients and supporting the agency's creative team,” says Sarah.

Although it’s still early days, taking microcredentials has helped to broaden her perspectives. And because Curv microcredentials are created in partnership with industry experts who are leaders in their fields, the information you’re being assessed on is the most up-to-date.

“It has shaped my thinking and brought awareness to accessibility issues,” says Sarah. “It has piqued my interest in exploring aspects of the courses further in the future.”